Tips to Telling your Boss you’re Pregnant

Breaking the news of your pregnancy to your work colleagues and your boss can be a stressful experience. The truth is that there is no perfect time to tell them, it’s a personal choice that will feel right when you make it.
The most important thing to remember is to tell your boss first. Try and raise the nerve to tell your boss before your pregnancy bump starts to show. Here are a couple of tips to help you with easing the news to your boss.

Are you sure that you are Pregnant?

You don’t want to announce your pregnancy if you are not completely sure about it. The early warnings signs of pregnancy can go undetected for the first two to six weeks after conception. During this time, the signs to look for if you’re pregnant will include fatigue, increased urination, and sensitive breasts.

Finding the Time that Feels Right for You

There are a number of factors that can affect the timing of your announcement. Here are some points that you may want to take into consideration.

If you are showing and how you are feeling. If you are feeling nauseous all the time and running to the bathroom every five minutes, then it might not be the best time to pop the news. Wait until you feel physically and emotionally stable before you confront your boss.

The environment of the workplace. If you work with chemicals or other hazardous materials, then rather tell your boss sooner than later. Damaging your baby with exposure to harmful substances simply isn’t worth the wait.

Preparing the Announce the News to your Boss

Before you march into your boss’s office, take the time to do a bit of due diligence on your benefits owed to you. Calculate any leave that may be owed to you and read through the company policy manual to gain a clear understanding of the policies toward pregnant employees.

Prepare your handover process and round up any current projects you may be working on. You will need to be replaced and a smooth handover process is determined by how well you prepare for the transition.

Be sure in your decision about whether you will decide to return to your job after the birth, or move on to other things. This should be clearly decided upon before you step into the office.

It’s Time to Do the Deed & Tell Your Boss

When you feel that you are prepared, it’s time to make your announcement. You may feel some butterflies and jangling nerves but that will subside the moment you break the news. Whatever your boss’s reaction to your news, you will feel a wave of relief knowing that you have put it out in the open.

Make sure that you do the announcement in person, not over the phone or email. It needs to be a personal conversation or your boss will feel like you do not respect them. The best time of the week to make your announcement is on a Friday afternoon before the weekend. This way you have the entire weekend to let things cool down and the word to get out at the water cooler to the other employees.